QUESTION: 

Can you provide some guidelines on how to convey the large body of information associated with clinical evaluation and management of cardiac arrhythmias from a primary care perspective? 

Today’s Expert is the ECG Guru’s Contributing Expert, Dr. Ken Grauer. 

KEN GRAUER, MD is Professor Emeritus (Dept. Community Health/Family Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida in Gainesville).

Dr. Grauer has been a leading family physician educator for over 30 years. During that time he has published (as principal author) more than 10 books and numerous study aids on the topics of ECG interpretation, cardiac arrhythmias, and ACLS (including an ongoing Educational ECG Blog) . Dr. Grauer is the Contributing Expert for the ECG Guru. 

ANSWER: 

The topic of evaluating the patient with a cardiac arrhythmia – and then formulating an optimal approach to management is HUGE. It encompasses assessing both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients – determining if an arrhythmia is truly present, and if so, whether the arrhythmia is worrisome or benign – and then deciding on whether drugs, lifestyle changes, or referral for specialized EP (electrophysiologic) evaluation is in order. 

I have developed a 3-part (less than 90-minute) video series that addresses this tremendously important clinical topic from start to finish. Included in these videos are assessment of the patient, arrhythmia monitoring methods, when to refer, and targeted discussion of the most commonly encountered arrhythmias in primary care. These include ectopic beats (PACs; PJCs; PVCs) – ventricular arrhythmias (nonsustained vs sustained VT occurring in different clinical settings) – bradycardias (diagnosis of Sick Sinus Syndrome plus indications for pacing) – MAT – PSVT/AVNRT – Atrial Flutter – and Atrial Fibrillation. 

Links to these 3 Videos – plus LOTS of additional relevant information (including pdf excerpts available for free download from my ECG and ACLS ePubs on specifics of arrhythmia diagnosis) – is now all available for use on my new clinical arrhythmia webpage, www.fafpecg.com. I hope this material is helpful to you in your teaching! The beauty of these videos is that content is appropriate and understandable for primary care providers of virtually any level or degree of training – and that by assignment, learning can be entirely self-instructional OR under your direct guidance and instruction.  

P.S. I am still finishing a Power Point Show (without audio) that you can use if you choose to teach this subject yourself using my slides. This should be completed soon. The rest of this web page is finished and READY for use. Your comments and feedback is WELCOME!

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